World News 02-09-2002 Blair To Bush: Ratify Kyoto Treaty Now who: Tony Blair what: Says US must ratify Kyoto climate change treaty where: Mozambique when: Yesterday snippet: "Tony Blair laid down a challenge on Sunday to President George W. Bush on climate change," says The Financial Times, "insisting that countries could undertake significant moves to protect the environment while boosting economic growth." "We must all of us ratify the Kyoto Protocol," the Prime Minister told business leaders and officials in Maputo, Mozambique, en route to the World Summit on poverty and the environment in Johannesburg. The Independent calls it "a thinly-veiled rebuke to President George Bush, who has refused to sign up to the international agreement on global warming". "What is truly shocking is not the scale of the problems. The truly shocking thing is that we know the remedies," he said. "Where the wealthy countries have acted, it has made a difference. It is not rocket science, it is a matter of political will and leadership." Meanwhile, says The Times, in Johannnesburg, expectations are low. "The head of the United Nations Development Programmes described the expected outcome of the summit as modest," writes Anthony Browne, who reckons sources close to the negotiations are saying the final agreement will put greater emphasis on free trade than relieving poverty or protecting the environment. [... more]

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